Hi! I am trying to work this pattern, and I'm in a bit over my head. I get stuck at Row 6 in this pattern because I don't understand how to purl together from two needles onto one.

Here is the pattern excerpt:

Row 6: Hold the needle at the top of the work in your left hand. Fold the bottom needle up towards you. The smooth stockinette side should be on the outside of the work.
P the first stitch on the the "top" needle tog with the first st on the "bottom" needle. You will end up with just one st on your right needle.

Does this mean I'm to fold the work I've done together in half, and then purl from the bottom needle into the top needle?

I've really no idea how this works out! Can someone sort of explain to me how to do this? Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

You're going to create a hem for some of the sts by purling from top and bottom needles held in the left hand onto the right-hand needle. It's like this tutorial except that you're using two needles to hold the sts instead of a needle and a crochet hook. At about 5.5 minutes into this video there's a demo of the point you're at with row 6. She's knitting onto the right needle but you'll be purling.

Learning one new thing with each pattern is a great way to knit and lots of fun too.

Agreed! I was just telling another friend that I've learned to deal with my first try of anything as a rough draft because inevitably, it's probably not going to come out the way I think it's supposed to. But the second or third time around, I've got it and I pick up speed as well.

I have to mess with the pattern, though because I've learned how to knit via online, I know I'm missing little tricks, and I need to figure out what's wrong with row 17. I came up with two extra stitches.

Did you slip 2 sts for the direction: vd?
vd = vertical decrease [slip 2 sts tog as if to k, k the next st, pass the 2 slipped sts over the k st]
It occurs multiple times in the pattern and if you only slipped one stitch a couple of times, that could give you extra sts at the end of the row.

Did you slip 2 sts for the direction: vd?
vd = vertical decrease [slip 2 sts tog as if to k, k the next st, pass the 2 slipped sts over the k st]
It occurs multiple times in the pattern and if you only slipped one stitch a couple of times, that could give you extra sts at the end of the row.

I think so? I worked it a couple of times, but came up with the same two extra stitches at the end. I wonder if maybe I somehow increased somewhere in row 15? :

I deconstructed it, and intend to start over from the very beginning. Get more practice with hemming (which is so cool! knit in a hem? amazing!), and with this fancy lace stitch. This time, I'll keep an extra close eye on those vertical decreases!